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课文21 丹尼尔.门多萨7 c/ [9 R8 H7 h8 l+ T! L6 K
348. Boxing matches were very popular in England two hundred years ago.
& I! U4 s; V( a' [ 两百年前,拳击比赛在英国非常盛行。' F: E# l- c! t
349. In those days, boxers fought with bare fists for prize money.' o+ m( \ X/ D/ d" S U
当时,拳击手们不戴手套,为争夺奖金而搏斗。* Z7 N5 z! h+ M; z/ H0 E3 [
350. Because of this, they were known as 'prizefighters'.; o2 N, Z8 i9 A3 |- }, l; w \
因此,他们被称作“职业拳击手”。
0 {% T6 O- M9 F+ @351. However, boxing was very crude, for there were no rules and a prizefighter could be seriously injured or even killed during a match.
% t( F& V: m6 v' x! V" O- J# Y 不过,拳击是十分野蛮的,因为当时没有任何比赛规则,职业拳击手有可能在比赛中受重伤,甚至丧命。
) F: x" Q2 P& X( R6 B352. One of the most colourful figures in boxing history was Daniel Mendoza, who was born in 1764.
+ e4 K6 O+ ?6 p! |1 u% O 拳击史上最引人注目的人物之一是丹尼尔.门多萨,他生于1764年。3 W( r6 @2 J2 O5 R
353. The use of gloves was not introduced until 1860, when the Marquis of Queensberry drew up the first set of rules.
* y2 e4 n. G; k 1860年昆斯伯里侯爵第一次为拳击比赛制定了规则,拳击比赛这才用上了手套。, S# q8 S8 l" `! {9 y/ ?+ J1 \
354. Though he was technically a prizefighter, Mendoza did much to change crude prizefighting into a sport, for he brought science to the game.1 F* |7 c+ M+ j' c9 b
虽然门多萨严格来讲不过是个职业拳击手,但在把这种粗野的拳击变成一种体育运动方面,他作出了重大贡献。是他把科学引进了这项运动。% g- ]: k5 i5 h9 A
355. In this day, Mendoza enjoyed tremendous popularity. He was adored by rich and poor alike.8 N9 c: g7 Y1 X& M
门多萨在的全盛时期深受大家欢迎,无论是富人还是穷人都对他祟拜备至。
' d' N8 x- A7 @1 x& F356. Mendoza rose to fame swiftly after a boxing match when he was only fourteen years old.
5 E8 F$ @& P, \5 I: m4 ]. I 门多萨在14岁时参加一场拳击赛后一举成名。% B2 }3 s% ?# D, ]2 P6 |
357. This attracted the attention of Richard Humphries who was then the most eminent boxer in England.
5 a; H% H9 k: v1 t 这引起当时英国拳坛名将理查德.汉弗莱斯的注意。
0 O }. f; N8 s. N8 p9 l1 n358. He offered to train Mendoza and his young pupil was quick to learn.2 {% |7 {5 W# P6 r: _1 w
他主动提出教授门多萨,而年少的门多萨一学就会。
+ G( e: D" N& i; @0 {/ O) P359. In fact, Mendoza soon became so successful that Humphries turned against him.
; i# Q; @, S8 T J4 D 事实上,门多萨不久便名声大振,致使汉弗莱斯与他反目为敌。5 a2 A! a+ j4 @ W
360. The two men quarrelled bitterly and it was clear that the argument could only be settled by a fight.2 Q/ K5 P+ g/ S7 \ x
两个人争吵不休,显而易见,只有较量一番才能解决问题。
* ~- [3 u* X8 [& _4 \361. A match was held at Stilton, where both men fought for an hour./ o3 P/ ?' s) K- l0 l' E* h6 n
于是两人在斯蒂尔顿设下赛场,厮打了一个小时。+ o$ }0 g) V& Q+ q; Z
362. The public bet a great deal of money on Mendoza, but he was defeated.
# k8 [: b0 ~0 Q1 ~ 公众把大笔赌注下到了门多萨身上,但他却输了。
7 o! R3 D6 J$ A* Q; D363. Mendoza met Humphries in the ring on a later occasion and he lost for a second time.4 G: |. c" j# p0 Y0 O P
后来,门多萨与汉弗莱斯再次在拳击场上较量,门多萨又输了一场。
1 B0 k% ^- K& m/ [ c- u364. It was not until his third match in 1790 that he finally beat Humphries and became Champion of England.
+ F" c9 b J' O! j/ o/ s# v 直到1790年他们第3次对垒,门多萨才终于击败汉弗莱斯,成了全英拳击冠军。
( h. ~) K2 w3 E; S) r365. Meanwhile, he founded a highly successful Academy and even Lord Byron became one of his pupils.
) m) ^8 B/ H9 K. ~& A3 B7 S4 ~ 同时,他建立了一所拳击学校,办得很成功,连拜伦勋爵也成了他的学生。- I* |+ m) R. C9 a8 m0 W
366. He earned enormous sums of money and was paid as much as $100 for a single appearance.$ H& j1 a2 L" h+ _8 y* `; C% K
门多萨挣来大笔大笔的钱,一次出场费就多可达100英镑。
4 N! ^7 M6 {: ~ z/ \: E& C367. Despite this, he was so extravagant that he was always in debt.% p: r; A5 L) N+ }- m7 K! Q: U
尽管收入不少,但他挥霍无度,经常债台高筑。5 f7 u% y/ S9 j5 X1 i2 L
368. After he was defeated by a boxer called Gentleman Jackson, he was quickly forgotten.
: j& h2 x0 }2 y9 g* \; U 他在被一个叫杰克逊绅士的拳击手击败后很快被遗忘。
; [5 a; j8 L7 N0 r i2 L369. He was sent to prison for failing to pay his debts and died in poverty in 1836.
) J. ~' a! z0 u, Z! q 他因无力还债而被捕入狱,最后于1836年在贫困中死去。 |
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